Keeping New Year’s resolutions can be tough, and that’s why it’s so important to start smart. Have you already set your goals? Let’s go through them together to make sure your first step is as FIERCE as you are!
Make your New Year’s resolutions clear to Santa. He’s an old fella.
So you decided to be awesome next year and that’s your resolution. Great! But in what way? Will you be an awesome coworker? Will you host awesome parties or rock an awesome haircut? You should probably make your goals as specific as you possibly can.
Saying that you want to “eat healthier food” or “rock an awesome haircut” is not a goal, it’s a wish. What would be a goal in this case?
“My goal is to eat healthier food but my setback could be that I really don’t have time to cook. Okay, my first step would be to buy some food containers. A set of 17 food containers will cost me about 33 AED. Then I’ll make a meal plan for the next month and buy groceries ahead. They’ll be cooked and ready in a day. I’ll repeat the same routine by the end of each month.”
The sooner you quantify your goals, the sooner you’ll begin to work on achieving them.
Get yourself a partner in crime
This is one of the oldest tricks in the book; get an “accountability buddy”. They don’t need to have the same resolution as you, the idea is to tell them your goals and ask them to keep you on the right track.
You guys could agree to call each other out if you fall off the horse but try to avoid comparing progress. If your friend gets the blues, be there and show him support it will make a difference to their willpower but it will also make you feel super motivated.
Don’t forget to focus on noticing the milestones and celebrating them together!
A fortune teller for a day
So you made your decision, you planned ahead and you got yourself a partner in crime? Now what?
It’s time to anticipate problems. You can do that by breaking a habit into its three parts: a cue, a routine, and a reward.
For an example:
Bad habit: I watch TV too much.
Cue: I feel overwhelmed.
Routine: I turn on the TV
Reward: I feel entertained.
How to change the behavior: Carve out the special part of the day to enjoy activities you’ll love.
Get yourself a proper reward
You already planned the whole scary thing and now it’s time to plan your reward system! Yeah, you deserve a reward. Just make sure that it doesn’t compromise the plan.
And don’t hesitate to cherish the little moments. Be proud of who you are, be proud of your work and your goals.
You can even start NOW. Don’t wait for the right moment; just make the first step – it’s the hardest but it’s the most important step you’ll make.
What are your New Year’s Resolutions? Let us know in the comments – we might help you achieve them.
